Arizona Man Charged with Violating Federal Narcotics Trafficking Laws in New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE – Earlier today a federal magistrate judge found that there was probable cause to support a criminal complaint charging Sergio Marin Ambriz, 20, of Phoenix, Ariz., with violating the federal narcotics trafficking laws.  Ambriz was released to a half-way house under conditions of release and pretrial supervision pending trial.

Ambriz was arrested on Jan. 20, 2016, and was charged in criminal complaint with a heroin trafficking offense after the DEA seized approximately 1.90 kilograms (4.18 pounds) of heroin from him during an interdiction investigation at the Greyhound Bus Station in Albuquerque.  The heroin was contained in three bundles that were concealed inside a pair of jeans in Ambriz’s luggage.

If convicted of the offense against him, Ambriz faces a statutory mandatory minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in federal prison.  The charges against Ambriz are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul H. Spiers.

This case is being prosecuted pursuant to the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative.  The HOPE Initiative is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center that is partnering with the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative with the overriding goal of reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in the District of New Mexico.  The HOPE Initiative comprised of five components:  (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning.  The law enforcement component of the HOPE Initiative is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners.  Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative.